The anniversary of Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20 was not met with celebration by most of Tualatin High School, but instead with a massive organized walkout in protest of ICE. Taking to Boones Ferry Road with handmade signs, hundreds of students gathered to display their disapproval of federal immigration enforcement.

This happened just weeks after a senior at McMinnville High was arrested while off campus for lunch in the midst of a school day, igniting fury over the targeting of children and vulnerable groups in general. Passing cars slowed down to acknowledge the turnout and honked their horns to show support, sending the crowd into waves of triumph.

The ordeal was an inspiring display of what it means when a community comes together for a common goal. But there is a question which always arises: what really makes such events significant? After all, our nation is one of the biggest in the world, so what difference can some high schoolers truly make? Generally speaking, can any relatively small acts of protest actually change the way things are?

It often seems as though, no matter how many of us disagree with the government’s actions, nothing larger ever comes from our opposition. Especially seeing how often protesters are faced with unconstitutional retaliation from the law, it’s safe to say that a lot of people are actually afraid of practicing their free speech altogether. So why should anyone sacrifice their energy, and perhaps even their well-being, for such things?

And that’s exactly where the answer lies. There’s something unforgivable in not only these infractions upon our Constitutional rights, but also in civilians fearing to speak out against them, particularly within “The Land of the Free” and “Home of the Brave.” The phrase “We the People” is not just some badass, ultra-patriotic saying included in The Preamble to aura farm. It’s the opening line of America’s doctrine for a reason: meant to remind us that we, YOU AND I, are the ones meant to wield power. Any and all authority held by the government stems from us. So when we cower from our own system, we essentially hand over the potential for any changes we wish to see.

Next time you feel like brushing off the opportunity to be involved with your community, a movement or efforts aimed toward bettering the nation, remind yourself of that. Making a large-scale difference starts with something so small it almost seems unimportant. The magnitude of using our voices and speaking our minds cannot be overstated. If we ever go blind to that fact, that is the moment when we have lost the very things that give us control. There will be a catastrophic domino effect if we lose sight of those values and what it takes to uphold them.

Saying that isn’t fearmongering; it’s a reminder of America’s principles.